I REMEMBER Ricky Sbragia towards the end of his brief spell in charge of Sunderland. Thinking back on it, the haunted eyes evoked the same kind of sadness and perhaps even fear that could be seen in the post-match interviews of Kenny McDowall at Rangers or Terry Connor at Wolves. A sense of a man having a position foisted upon him that he didn’t actually want. He was clearly rated at Sunderland though, the club also allowed him to return to work with the youth teams.

The impression I drew was of a man more comfortable with the development of players than with the cut-throat world of having to get a result inside 90 minutes. It felt like there was both a nobility and a self-awareness in his return to working with younger players.

Now, I no longer know what to think, because the reasons Ricky Sbragia expressed for leaving Real Madrid’s Jack Harper out of the Scotland under-19 squad seem to have a footballing joylessness that could only have been matched if Bobby Williamson had followed the Hibs fans he advised to, “go to the cinema if you want entertainment”, then shouted out the ending to whichever film they bought tickets for.

If you managed to miss Sbragia’s comments, he announced that Harper was “a luxury player”, who might be able to play in a certain way at Real Madrid but couldn’t expect to play that way for Scotland. Instead, the man in charge of Scotland’s under-19s has gone for a “physical side”, packed with “height and runners”.

To put that into perspective, even if we could have found them Scottish grannies, a young Xavi, Iniesta or Messi wouldn’t have found their way into Ricky Sbragia’s Scotland squad. Cast your mind back further and Jimmy Johnstone wouldn’t have got in either. In fact, if we can build that time machine, then let’s do it. I want to see Billy Bremner’s reaction when Sbragia explains to him that he’s too short to be “physical”.

I’m shocked by Sbragia’s actions on two levels. Firstly, that a youth coach at national team level would still think in that way and, secondly, that they actually think it’s sensible to express that point of view in the media. By the time the SFA’s new head of development, Brian McClair, would have finished pulling his own hair out, the SFA’s media staff had probably already rendered themselves bald.

At club management level, I can still understand why coaches take the short-term view. It’s because that’s the view that’s also being applied to them and to the continuation of their wages being paid. I still think it’s counter-productive and means that even if they do manage to hang on, they simply weaken their own position a couple of years down the line (if the cap fits, Mr McCoist).

However, the SFA’s role is to manage and improve the game. If they’re unable to take a viewpoint that goes beyond what happens over 90 minutes and favours the overall development of the game – then who on earth is going to?

Craig Brown tried to point out that playing for Real Madrid doesn’t give you an automatic right to play football for Scotland. He’s right. But being 6’4 and 15 stone shouldn’t either. Also, being 6’1 (as Jack Harper actually is) but not built like a rugby player should definitely not preclude you!

Agree or disagree with what Teddy has written? You can tweet him @RossTeddyCraig or online via his website, ascottishwriter.com I REMEMBER Ricky Sbragia towards the end of his brief spell in charge of Sunderland. Thinking back on it, the haunted eyes evoked the same kind of sadness and perhaps even fear that could be seen in the post-match interviews of Kenny McDowall at Rangers or Terry Connor at Wolves. A sense of a man having a position foisted upon him that he didn’t actually want. He was clearly rated at Sunderland though, the club also allowed him to return to work with the youth teams.

The impression I drew was of a man more comfortable with the development of players than with the cut-throat world of having to get a result inside 90 minutes. It felt like there was both a nobility and a self-awareness in his return to working with younger players.

Now, I no longer know what to think, because the reasons Ricky Sbragia expressed for leaving Real Madrid’s Jack Harper out of the Scotland under-19 squad seem to have a footballing joylessness that could only have been matched if Bobby Williamson had followed the Hibs fans he advised to, “go to the cinema if you want entertainment”, then shouted out the ending to whichever film they bought tickets for.

If you managed to miss Sbragia’s comments, he announced that Harper was “a luxury player”, who might be able to play in a certain way at Real Madrid but couldn’t expect to play that way for Scotland. Instead, the man in charge of Scotland’s under-19s has gone for a “physical side”, packed with “height and runners”.

To put that into perspective, even if we could have found them Scottish grannies, a young Xavi, Iniesta or Messi wouldn’t have found their way into Ricky Sbragia’s Scotland squad. Cast your mind back further and Jimmy Johnstone wouldn’t have got in either. In fact, if we can build that time machine, then let’s do it. I want to see Billy Bremner’s reaction when Sbragia explains to him that he’s too short to be “physical”.

I’m shocked by Sbragia’s actions on two levels. Firstly, that a youth coach at national team level would still think in that way and, secondly, that they actually think it’s sensible to express that point of view in the media. By the time the SFA’s new head of development, Brian McClair, would have finished pulling his own hair out, the SFA’s media staff had probably already rendered themselves bald.

At club management level, I can still understand why coaches take the short-term view. It’s because that’s the view that’s also being applied to them and to the continuation of their wages being paid. I still think it’s counter-productive and means that even if they do manage to hang on, they simply weaken their own position a couple of years down the line (if the cap fits, Mr McCoist).

However, the SFA’s role is to manage and improve the game. If they’re unable to take a viewpoint that goes beyond what happens over 90 minutes and favours the overall development of the game – then who on earth is going to?

Craig Brown tried to point out that playing for Real Madrid doesn’t give you an automatic right to play football for Scotland. He’s right. But being 6’4 and 15 stone shouldn’t either. Also, being 6’1 (as Jack Harper actually is) but not built like a rugby player should definitely not preclude you!

Agree or disagree with what Teddy has written? You can tweet him @RossTeddyCraig or online via his website, ascottishwriter.com

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